Match



Jan. 5, 1937. H, w. GREIDER ET AL MATCH Filed Sept. 21, 1953 INVENTORS. :fx/MM 24. @im

THM BY W Patented Jan. v5, 1937 UNITED STATES MATCH Harold W. Greider, Wyoming, and Marion F. Smith, Cincinnati, Ohio, assignors to The Philip Carey Manufacturing Company, a cor- I poration of Ohio Application September 21, 1933, Serial No. 690,334

`z Claims.

This invention relates to matches and to methods of making the same.

Heretofore matches have been made using combustible splints tipped with a substance that can be ignited by striking the same against an object or, as with so-called safety matches, against a particular composition carried for example by a container for the matches.

Matches of the type heretofore manufactured have been defective in that the combustible splint body thereof is subject to continued burning after use and presents a serious fire hazard. More over, a user is subjected to the annoyance of carefully watching the match lest it burn too far l5 and burn the fingers. It is a purpose of this invention to overcome the defects above mentioned. It is another object of this invention to aiord such a result Without resort to special chemical treatment and while using inexpensive and readily available materials.

It is one of the features of this invention that a. match splint is afforded which not only has a part capable of supporting combustion and has an ignitable tip but also has another part which is not capable of supporting combustion, at least in ordinary atmosphere. Thus the match may be ignited and burned but is of such character that is goes out before the flame reaches a point adjacent the other end thereof that is normally grasped by the user.

'A further feature of this invention resides in providing a splint body which is made of a material that is incapable of supporting combustion and applying to a portion only of the splint body a substance that is capable of supporting combustion as carried by said splint body. When the portion of the splint body carrying the combustible material is given a friction ignitable tip, of fulminating material and the like, the match 40 can be ignited and the combustible material can be burned with a free flame as in the normal case of a match. However, the match becomes extinguished when the iiame reaches the portion of the splint body which does not carry the combustible material and which is normally grasped by the user. Moreover, as the splint body is noncombustible, the match cannot flow or burn after it has gone out.

According to one embodiment of this invention the match splint body is made out of brous material which is incapable of` lsupporting combustion. Thus according to this invention it is regarded as preferable to employ non-combustible mineral ber in making the match splint body. For example, it is regarded as preferable to employ asbestoform mineral ber of the asbestos `and/or amphibole type such as chrysotile, anthophyllite, amosite, crocidolite and the like. Asbestoform mineral fiber which can be made up into a strong paper web is' to be re- 5 garded as preferable in the practice of this invention. The ordinary chrysotile asbestos of commerce including shingle stock, paper and millboard. stock, cement stock and that which is sold under 2z and 3a: grades give satisfactory results.

While the use of asbestoform mineral ber in match splint stock is regarded as one of the features of this invention, a further feature of this invention resides in employing organic cellulosic fiber together with the mineral fiber in making a paper web for the match splint stock. Thus it is regarded as preferable to employ a major proportion of asbestoform mineral fiber with a minor proportion of organic mineral ber. It has been found that when the non-combustible mineral fiber in maior proportion is made up into a paper web with combustible organic ber, the resulting paper web will not support combustion. The cellulosic ber is desirable in giving strength and toughness to the mineral fiber and in enabling the rWeb to be readily saturated with silicate of soda to harden the web.

In one embodiment of this invention a fibrous web containing asbestoform mineral ber is given rigidity and strength by impregnation with a solution of soluble silicate. For this purpose a properly diluted solution of commercial sodium silicate of about 40 to 42 B. may be used. It is also desirable in giving strength and rigidity to the match splint stock to use an organic binder especially when cellulosic fiber is combined with the asbestoform mineral ber. Thus, for example, it is preferable to combine with a web containing asbestoform mineral lfiber and cellulosic ber about 3% to about '7% of a binder such as starch. In addition to starch other binders such as casein, glue, rubber latex and the like may also be employed.

`Of the cellulosic fibers which may be employed in combination with asbestoform mineral fiber, it is regarded as preferable to use an alkalitreated fiber. Such fibers include not only those refined by alkaline methods but also those which have been treated with alkali. Thus, for example, sulphite fiber (reiined by an acidic method) can be treated with an alkali, e. g., sodium silicate, sodium hydroxide, soda ash, ammonia, borax, sodium phosphate and the like, so as to have alkaline characteristics imparted thereto.

web material containing. asbestoform mineral mineral ber is much more susceptible to impregnation with soluble silicate solution.

While mentionhas been made of the use of alkali treated cellulosic ber generallyt'it is regarded as preferable to employ cellulosic ber which has been refined by alkaline methods. For example, it is regarded as preferable to em'- ploy a mixture of asbestoform mineral ber with kraftber. Thus, for example, a satisfactory product can be made using about 50% to about 90% of asbestos ber and about 10% to about 50% of kraft ber. The kraft ber is particularly desirable as it has been found that this type of ber aords match splint stock which is very strong and tough. e

Match splints embodying this invention can be manufactured in any suitable manner. When the match splint stock is 'to consist ofnbrous ber and celluloslc ber, the stock can be manufacturedby rst making a web of desired thickness from a water furnish containing a desired proportion of berized asbestoform and cellulosic bers. The web can be made using any suitable paper making apparatus of which several types are known. 4The ber furnish may contain, for example, about 50% to about 80% of asbestos ber together with about 20% to 50% of kraft ber. Whileit is not essential toen;- ploy an organic binder, about 5% of starch. for example (on the dry weight of the ber) may be included in the furnish so as to become thoroughly incorporated in the completed web.

After the web has been manufactured, it is treated with a solution of a soluble silicate. The

Vweb as taken from the paper making machine is dried prior to treatment with the silicate solution. Y Preferably the web is only partially dried as it has been found that the absorption of the silicate solution is promoted when about 20% tp about 41% of water onV the weight of dry ber is retained in the web. The silicate solution that is used is preferably obtained by diluting commercial strength sodium' silicate of 40r'to 42 B. so that it contains from about 3 parts. of water and 10A parts of concentrated silicate solution to about 4 parts of water and 1 part of concentrated silicate solution. It has been Afound that the silicate diluted to the extent aforesaid is advantageous in' that it issufllciently dilute to penetrate the brous web adequately andls sufilciently concentrated to leave an adequate amount of `silicate in the web after the same has been dried. It is advantageous to employ a sodium silicate wherein thel ratio of silica tosoda is rela-l tively high. f

- In saturating the web with silicate solution it is regarded as preferable notto ll all ofthe interstices and pores of the web with dried silicate but to leave the web, after it has been saturated and dried, in a somewhat porous condition. Ordinarily it is desirable to incorporate about 20% to about l35% of dry sincateintne" A method of and apparatus for making. an asbestos-cellulose ber web and impregnating the same with silicate solution is described in applicants co-pending application Serial No. 665,378 led April l0, 1933 (Patent No. 2,006,392).

, A non-combustiblev web made as aforesaid may be eut into splints suitable foi matches. while it is normally preferable to apply the silicate solution prior to cutting the web into splint bodies, it is not without the scope of this inven-l tion to apply the silicate solution after the web has been cut into splint bodies.

The splint bodiesmade as above described are tough and non-combustible in the sense that they will not support combustion in ordinary atmosphere. In order that a desired portion of vits the nished splints may have `combustible char- It is usually preferable toy apply the combustible material Ito the match splint bodies after the stock has been cut into individual splint bodies, at least throughout a portion of the 'length thereof, so that the coating and impregnation of the splint bodies will be as complete as possible. As aforesaid, the splint stock is lpreferably left in a somewhat porous condition so that match splint bodiesy and be retained not only on the surfaces thereof but also impregnated with# in the interior thereof.

It is oneA or the objects of this mvetionto apply theV combustible material to a portiononly of the length of angincombustible match splint body so that another portion thereof 'is substantially free of combustible material and may be freely grasped by the The portion 'of the match splint bodieswhich carries the combustible material may, of course, be tipped -withl any suitable'friction isnitable material. Such friction ignitable materials are well known in thefart'and further description thereof is not regarded as necessary herein.

For the purpose 'of illustration, this invention will be described in connection with the accompanying.drawing, wherein i Fig. 1 is a longitudinalV cross sectional view of a match embodying this invention, and

match splints embodying this invention made up into book form.

The match comprises the match splint body il. As hereinabove stated rthe match splint body is non-combustible and in one'embodiment of this invention may comprise an asbestos-cellulose web impregnated with silicate solution and a suitable binder.y A portion only of u the length 'ofy lthe match splint body carries a combustible material Il, such as wax, oil and the like as above described. As shown,fthe combustible material I I preferably impregnates the match splint body Ilv and is likewise carried on the surface oi the match splint body Il.

. The end of the match carrying the combustible material has a frictionignitable tip I2 of s uitable combustible material. `The tip is adapted to be ignited by striking thesame against an object known in the art. 4

In Pig. 2 a plurality of match ysplints of the typeshowninFig.laremadeupintoamatch the combustible material mayv penetrate thev l or special fulminating composition las is wellbook comprising a paper folder I3, binder staples I4, and a fulminating material I5. The splints can be made up in strips. For example, two strips of splints may be bound in book form as shown in the drawing.

In using a match such as above, the match may be ignited by striking the tip I2 in the usual way. The burning of the tip I2 ignites the combustible material II which burns with a free flame. When the combustible material has been burned, the match becomes extinguished for the reason that the splint body in itself is not capable of supporting combustion. While the cellulosic ber in the splint body I0 may become charred to a certain extent during the burning of the combustible material II, any such charring promptly discontinues as soon as the match ame is extinguished.

While this invention has been described in connection with certain specic embodiments thereof and methods of practicing the same, it is to be understood that this has been done merely for the purpose of illustration and that this invention is not to be limited in scope thereby.

I claim: 1. As an article of manufacture, a match comprising a non-combustible flbrousmatch splint body containing ber, of which ber about to about is asbestoform mineral ber and about 10% to about 50% is alkaline 'rened ber, and soluble silicate permeating said ber, said match splint body carrying throughout a portion of the length thereof an oleaginous or waxy substance which is capable of supporting combustion as carried by said match splint body and an ignitable tip adjacent to and adapted to ignite said substance.

2. As an article of manufacture, a match comprising a non-combustible brous match splint body containing ber, of which ber about 50% to about 90% is asbestoform mineral ber and about 10% to about 50% is kraft ber, soluble silicate to the extent of about 20% to about 35% on theweight of dry ber permeating said ber, and about 3% to about 7% of starch on the weight of dry ber as a binder for said ber. said match splint body carrying throughout a portion of the length thereof an oleaginous or waxy substance which is capable of supporting combustion as carried by said match splint body and fan ignitable tip adjacent to and adapted to ignite said substance.

` HAROLD W. GREIDER.

MARION F. SMITH. 

